BMW Megacity, on Display at the 2012 London Olympics

German manufacturer BMW seems to have made up its mind regarding the first public appearance of the eagerly anticipated Megacity vehicle. Set to enter production in 2013, the vehicle will first be moved to London, where it will be one of the attractions on the sidelines of the 2012 Olympics.

According to WhatCar?, the decision was made because BMW is the official automotive partner of the games. The Olympics will be the perfect venue for the carmaker to popularize the model prior to its official launch a year later.

The Megacity vehicle will be built at the BMW Leipzig plant, as a a BMW sub-brand and not a BMW or a MINI. The car's electric powertrain was already previewed in the ActivE, a vehicle powered by a new synchronous electric motor.

The vehicle develops 170 bhp and a maximum torque of 250 Nm from a standstill. It will be capable of traveling with a top speed of 90 mph (144 km/h) and will have a range of 124 miles (200 km).

Megacity will have a low center of gravity thanks to the fact that the battery pack will be located under the passenger cabin. The electric motor will be positioned at the rear of the vehicle and will send its power to the rear wheels via a single speed transmission.

The car will be built on a a carbon fiber and aluminum chassis, with its body panels using composite materials or carbon fiber. All these carbon fiber components will be manufactured in the US, by BMW's joint venture with SGL Automotive.